Resource Description

This is an English reading task that enables students to practise their reading and comprehension skills.

Contextual Summary

This is an English reading task that enables students to practise their reading and comprehension skills. The task links to specific information about the history of aspects of the Isle of Wight Railway that should be interesting, and relevant in terms of skills application, to students in lower key stage 2.

Questions have been chosen because they enable students to practise their comprehension and reading of unseen texts, focusing on form, purpose, audience, language choices, as well as retrieving information.

Task Implementation

This task can be undertaken before the visit, as a taster activity, during the visit using the available classroom space, or after the visit as a follow-up task. There is maximum flexibility here.

The task could be useful in preparing students for visiting the Isle of Wight Steam Railway museum, as they will then have an insight into the kind of document and historical aspects they will find there.

Essentially, this task links with the visit in a supporting, peripheral sense, allowing for the key skills of English to be practised whilst engaging with the aspects of the Isle of Wight Steam Railway and of rail history on the island.

Key Skills Practised

Reading for meaning and information

Analysing language choices and identifying intent

Identifying techniques used by the writer to inform, and perhaps persuade

Use quotations and other evidence to summarise and evidence their understanding

Learning Opportunities

Pre-Visit

The resource/questions could be used/answered in class prior to the trip so students are aware of the type of historical documents and information they will see at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway, and will be thinking more analytically about exhibits.

During the Visit

The resource/questions could be used/answered using the classroom available on site, so students gain a better contextual understanding of the venue and how it fits into the history of Isle of Wight rail services.

Why not complete this resource on a day trip?

The Isle of Wight can be reached in as little as 12 minutes! If you're located close to the south coast then a day trip is easily achievable...

This resource could be completed as part of the following day trip:

Chuffed to Bits! from £11.75ppStep back in time to the golden age of steam at Isle of Wight Steam Railway! A potted history of the Island's railways from Victorian times to the present day.

Post Visit

The resource/questions could be used/ answered as a follow-up task to allow for more skills-based curriculum work after the visit to be undertaken.

Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to demonstrate many aspects of their reading skills, by answering challenging questions and comprehending/analysing the language choices and literary techniques contained within the text.